PROGRAMME: HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN MINING AND GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Course Code: Contact Hours: Course: OPERATIONS

RESEARCH MRE 402 hrs GOALS:. Course Specification: THEORETICAL CONTENT PRACTICAL CONTENT Week General Objective 1.0: Know basic operations research principles. Specific Learning Outcome 1.1 Define Operations research. 1.2 Highlight inter-relationship between operations research and other branchs of management. 1.3 Outline the essential characterists of operations Teachers Activities Resources Specific Learning Outcome Teachers Activities Resources

research. . 1.4 Illustrate the types of models in

operations research (Le. symbolic and analogue). ' 1.5 Explain the following phases of operation research projects:- definition of problem and objective. - Definition of problem and objective. modelling of situation.- test of model agaisnt actual conditions.- model analysis.-c- pilot implementation test.- implementation. 1.6 Classify problems involved in operations research into "Certainty" and "Non-Certaintv." 1.7 State some typical types of problems that fall into each of the classes in 1.6 above. General Objective 2.0. Know methods of statistical analysis. Specific Learning Outcome Teachers Activities Resources Specific Learning Outcome Teachers Activities Resources

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2.1.

Define inferential statistics.

2.2.

2.3. 2.4. 2.5.

Explain the following basic approach in statistics: - data reductiion. - data presentation. - data interpretation. - testing of data; Illustrate the sampling procedure. Define confidence interval. Illustrate 2.4 above.

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General Objective 3.0 Understand methods of programming resources. Specific Learning Outcome Teachers Activities Resources Specific Learning Outcome Teachers Activities Resources

3.1 Explain the principles of network analysis

for projects planning and control. Illustrate the use of network analysis. Explain and identify types of: allocation problems. 3.3 Assignment problems. 3.4 transportation problems. 3.5 programming problems.

3.2

3.6 Explain witn illustration tne use of graphical approach

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General Objective 4.0 Know methods of planning operations. Specific Learning Outcome Teachers Activities Resources Specific Learning Outcome Teachers Activities Resources

4.1 Define the queueing problem.

4.2 State examples of 4.1 !above,

(e.g. Supermarket traffic intensities, servicing of machines, etc.). 4.3 Illustrate the principles of 4.1 above with the examples of 4.2 above. 4.4 Illustrate the principles of random selection by the Monte Carlo Technique. 4.5 Define simulation. 4.6 State the areas of application of 4.5 above. Illustrate the simulation process using suitable examples. 4.7 Construct a simulation model. 4.8 Explain the use of computers in simulation General Objective 5.0 Understand the principles of inventory and stock control Specific Learning Outcome Teachers Resources Specific Learning Activities Outcome 5.1 Define Inventory and Stock Control. 5.2 Explain the problem of stock control. 5.3 Illustrate mathematically the two types of costs: 5.4 Carrying an re-order costs. 5.5 Explain the following terms:- (i) Sensitivity of result, (ii) re-order level, (iii) buffer stock- safety stocks. Describe the use of simulation in the study of inventory. 5.6 Describe the following stockcontrol systems: - two-bin system, - constant cycle sytem.

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5.7 State the advantages and

disadvantages of each system in

5.6 above. 5.8 Describe the feed-back control. system. 5.9 Outline the principles and techniques of forecasting:qualitative. - time series analysis and projection. casual methods.
Week General Objective 6.0 Understand the principles of decision - making. Specific Learning Outcome
6.1 Define Decision - Making. 6.2 State the elements involved in decision - making. 6.3 Define and illustrate the terms:- minima cost decision rule. - minima regret rule. a. expected values. b. repeatability. c. decision tree. 6.4 Explain the methods of decision analysis.

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General Objective 7.0. Understand the use of computer in operations research Specific Learning Teachers Activities Resources Specific Learning Outcome Outcome
7.1 Use the computer to solve simulation and linear 7.2 programming problem

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